Reminding Myself of What I Love

A blog post in progress. — After a month in Linköping I found myself missing the sea. Since my grandmother’s summer cottage in Frösakull stood empty, I returned to Halmstad August 31st. I like it here — especially rainy days like today. And with only a few minutes bike ride to the sea, 1,5km to Tylösand, and 10km to the center of Halmstad, I live near both nature and city life.

As a way to to stay away from old destructive habits, I wanted to remind myself of the things I love. What’s great is that I can do most of these things regardless of where I am in the world.

Yoga

My yoga mat follows me wherever I travel. I started doing yoga in 8th grade, at age 14, and now it feels as natural as brushing my teeth in the morning. I usually do my hatha yoga 5-7 times a week for about 1-2 hours. A great start to the day — no matter what time I wake up — and I wouldn’t want to live without it.

Meditating

Meditating at least 5-10 minutes every morning helps me stay calm and balanced. I aim to increase this to 15-20 minutes.

Reading

I love reading. E-books. Blogs. Non-fiction. Fiction. (I recently finished Alexandra Pascalidou’s Taxi.) And, of course, magazines.

Writing

Articles. Dream diaries. Short-stories. Novels. Song lyrics. Non-fiction. Screenplays. Blog posts. I feel much better when I let out the words in my mind. Starting doesn’t often come easy, but it feels great once I’ve finished.

Music

Music makes everything easier. Soul. R&B. Hip hop. Reggae. Metal. Rock. Pop. Indie. Jazz. House. Alternative. Acoustic. Folk. Classical. Music that makes me happy. Music that touches my heart. I love when I come across such a great song that I can’t help but close my eyes and just listen.

Film/Movies

I love how a movie let you escape reality and enter another world. If I don’t watch at least one film a week, a DVD, online, or in the cinema, I feel that something is missing from my life.

Photography

I got my first camera at age 10 and have loved taking photos ever since.

Water

I love living near water, the sea, lakes, rivers, drinking water, hot showers, cold showers, pools, swimming, bathing (preferably in high waves), snorkelling…  The picture above was taken just after an evening swim in Frösakull two days ago.

Walking

Without a doubt, one of the best ways to get around and experience a new place. I also like to go for a morning walk every weekday before breakfast.

Hiking

So far I have hiked in Sweden, Greece, France and Switzerland. I still remember my sole hike near Grenoble in the French Alps in 2004 as it it was yesterday, and I look forward to the many hikes that are to come.

Cycling

Not competing in cycling, only cycling — for exercise and fun. I often prefer to cycle in cities instead of taking public transport.

Jogging/Running

If I don’t run regularly I have a tendency to feel restless. No matter where I am, I keep running.

Dancing

I’m not the best dancer, but I love dancing — and that’s what matters.

Food

I love discovering new food. Last month I tasted sea weed salad (pictured above), sushi with mango (delicious!), ‘healthy’ pizza with carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, dinkel focaccia with sweet potatoes, vegetarian moussaka, the best garlic bread I’ve ever eaten ( thanks to the herb mix and sea salt sprinkled on top), chocolate with liquorice, Indian vegetable mix, and tiramisu (obviously not a vegan dessert but I wanted to taste it at least once in my life). As I wrote in Karma When Traveling, even though it’s my intention to only eat vegan food, I may not be 100% vegan at all times.

Museums, Art Galleries, Exhibitions etc

As a kid I loved museums. And Technorama science center in Stockholm. During my class in modern art in high school I fell in love with art. I like visiting small art galleries, where you can speak with the artists themselves.

Driving

I haven’t driven properly since 2006 and miss it incredibly much.

Skiing/Snowboarding

I have loved downhill skiing since I first skied in Sälen, Sweden, at the age of 2. I have far less experience in snowboarding and love it almost as much as skiing.

Amusement Parks

Who does’t like to feel like a kid again? My favourite amusement parks (so far!) are Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Cedar Point in Ohio.

Shopping

In moderation. Mostly clothes, shoes and accessories.

The change of weather and seasons

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” — John Ruskin

Other things I love:
Writing to-do lists
Crossing off to-do lists
Singing
Playing the piano or keyboard
In-door climbing
Open air concerts
Sleeping outside under the sky
The sound of waves
The sound of rain drops
Breathing the cold, crisp air on sunny winter mornings
Fresh cut grass underneath my bare feet
The beach
Beach volleyball
Adventures
Magical moments

Possibly related posts:

1. A New Year, New Resolutions
2. Music Overdose
3. Leos Love to Travel
4. Music That Makes Me Happy: International Love
5. New Journeys without Moving an Inch